Pride and Punishment
by Working-On-Sanity
Summary: James knew punishment was necessary for failure. But punishments were to be given in love, not as a means of amusement. And he just can't understand why Giovanni likes to watch him cry. Persian/James, crack-ship.


**PRIDE AND PUNISHMENT**

**Summary: **James knew punishment was necessary for failure. But punishments were to be given in love, not as a means of amusement. And he just can't understand why Giovanni likes to watch him cry. Persian/James, crack-ship.

**Author's Note: **Shipping at its crackiest. I like Giovanni, and he's actually one of my favorite villains, but I kind of wanted to make him the bad guy in this. I checked a lot of sites, but I can't find the official name for Giovanni's Persian/James. I don't even like Persian. But doodling after eating Mexican food apparently spawns horrible things. When I drew a fat, ugly old Persian sitting on top of James, I felt an inexplicable urge to write something gross. And for the sake of whatever morality I still am desperately clutching to, I will assume that the Persian is a female.

* * *

"You're a failure."

_Failure. _The word echoed hollowly in the small office, bouncing from the white walls to rush into James's ears. _Failure. _Why did it seem as if Giovanni had spoken it so loudly? James quickly ducked his head, weakly lifting his shoulders in a defensive shrug.

"Do you know what is to be done with a failure?" Leisurely, as if they had been in the process of discussing the weather, Giovanni plucked his cigar from his mouth, tapping the edge against the rim of his water glass. The ashes fell in a soft powder of gray, floating in a thin film on the tepid water's surface.

James squeezed his eyes shut, feeling the familiar sting of guilt fester in his throat. He swallowed hard, the sound audible and resonating as he tentatively glanced up.

"Fa––failures are to be punished, sir." James knew he had provided the correct answer, as the deep lines in Giovanni's face lightened with a sense of surprised pleasure.

"Very good," Giovanni commented, poking his cigar between his pale lips and pausing to savor the bitter taste. "Now, what do you suggest be done as punishment?"

At the very word, the Persian perched regally on his lap gave a low purr, its whiskers twitching with anticipation. Giovanni soothingly rested his heavy palm on the sloping curve of the cat's brow, stroking its smooth fur beneath his rough fingertips.

"W––what do _I _suggest?" James repeated blankly. He dropped his gaze to the floor, concentrating on counting the loose fibers that protruded from the carpet. If the choice of punishment was offered to him, then surely Giovanni must have been feeling particularly generous, or perhaps so weary that he no longer held interest in chastisement. Anxiously, James ran his tongue along the inside of his cheek, clasping his hands together in his lap and rubbing his thumbs together.

"I... I don't think a punishment is necessary, sir." Even as he said it, James knew that attempting to pacify Giovanni was useless. Panic began to swell in his stomach as he blabbered, "I've learned my lesson, honest, I have. I promise I won't try doing anything without your consent. And I'm sorry I convinced Jessie and Meowth to do the same. But I don't need punishment, sir. I know better, now, I––"

Giovanni snapped his fingers in a demand for silence, the large brass rings on his fingers clicking together awkwardly. The Persian lifted its head, its blunt snout following the direction of Giovanni's hand. Its large eyes focused on James, its pupils stretching into slits as it emitted a rumbling, feral growl.

"I'm sorry, James, but that wasn't satisfactory." Giovanni shook his head, no traces of regret glowing in his countenance. He glared at James, and James immediately shrank back into the plush cushion of his chair. Instinctively, he hugged himself, clenching his fingers around his elbows and tightening his arms against his flat chest for comfort.

"Persian," Giovanni ordered evenly, leaning back to allow the cat freedom, "please take care of this situation."

Energized by the command, the seemingly docile Persian bounded from Giovanni's lap, extending its long, limber forelegs before it. Its large paws met the ground with a quiet thump, and it curled its tail gracefully over the curve of its back as it padded boldly toward James.

"Stop it!" Fearfully, James jerked his legs up, embracing his knees to his front as the Persian's muzzle creased in a snarl. Its black ears pinned to its crown as it lowered itself to the ground, its piercing stare fixated on the round toe of James's leather boot. Before James managed to notice the target of the Pokémon's aim, Persian leaped forward, sinking its pointed fangs into James's boot and biting down.

Yelping in terror, James flailed for a grip on the cat's whiskers, yanking brutally on the sensitive hairs to loosen the painful grip on his foot. The ragged fur lining the Persian's nape stood upright as James desperately shoved his finger into the edge of its wet mouth, prying its jaws apart enough to withdraw from its hold.

"Stop it! Let go! Boss, make it stop!" James scrambled away, tumbling over the side of the chair and falling heavily to the floor. His chin struck the solid concrete that the carpet covered, and the blow reverberated through his entire body. Clenching his teeth against a groan, he felt a surge of horror rinse through his nerves as a broad paw descended between his shoulders. The Persian's weight forced James's breath from his lungs, and he choked involuntarily as the creature shifted, lowering its bulky hindquarters to sit down on top of him.

"B––Boss!" His foot throbbed, and he was rendered helpless to shift away, pinned by the enormous feline. He snagged his lip with his teeth, chewing the flesh to refrain from shouting at Giovanni. Surely if he remained still and quiet, the Persian would abandon any further pursuit of malice. Surely Giovanni would soon tire of this particular punishment. James pressed his gloved palm to his face, trembling as the Persian slowly roused itself to its feet. It straddled James's prone figure, and the relief that came with the loss of the cat's weight was so great that James nearly laughed. He sucked in a starved breath, not bothering to swat away the hair that dangled limply over his forehead.

"Resisting punishment only results in worse consequences." Giovanni's voice was deep and toneless as he watched his Persian stand over James, its ears pricked, awaiting instruction. He held up two fingers, and immediately, the Persian leaped away from James.

"Sit up," Giovanni said stonily, crossing his legs in a lazy position of boredom.

James hastened to obey, smacking his palms against the floor and rolling to his side. He had barely propped himself up on one elbow when the Persian's icy black nose prodded his neck; startled, he went rigid, curling his fingers into the threadbare carpet. The leather of the Persian's cold nose trailed over his bare skin, and the cat's gentle intakes of breath skimmed over his nape and sent a chill crawling down the back of his jacket. Persistently, the Persian lifted one paw to step over James, nudging its chin against James's cheek.

Feebly, James pressed his hand against Persian's wide chest, the firm blocks of muscle hard beneath his touch. He barely attempted to push the Persian away, the Pokémon's enthusiasm encouraging it to hook its claws into the carpet for support. It thumped its thick tail against James's thigh, snuffling interestedly around the collar of his wrinkled blouse. James gulped back the nervousness that mounted in his belly, feeling sweat paste his shirt to his back.

Parting its jaws, the Persian drew the length of its pink tongue along the contour of James's cheek, the flowery flavor of his hair catching in its throat. Curiously, it lapped at his fringe, stray hairs adhering to the wetness of its nose. James shuddered, the sensation of the Persian's rough tongue strangely reminiscent of when Jessie had angrily smeared a clump of sand over his face. The moisture was warm and sticky, and not entirely unpleasant––James stiffened his shoulders as the Persian's whiskers grazed his flesh, its teeth lightly closing around a saliva-soaked chunk of his hair. In its effort to discern what exactly James's hair tasted of, it clambered over him, hefting its hind leg over his hip.

"W––what are you doing?" James stammered, and instantly clamped his mouth shut. The Persian's tongue had passed over his lips, and the drying froth of its excess saliva made his skin almost numb. The flavor was metallic and cold, and urgently, James clenched his fists into the cat's fur, tugging incessantly for no other purpose than to calm his own escalating nerves.

The Persian grumbled out a hungry purr, and James arched upwards to grab its ruff, grappling for the chance of escape. Struggling to heft his knees up against the Persian's abdomen, he exerted all his strength into shoving the feline away.

The Persian stumbled, spreading its toes as it teetered with shock. The look in its eyes returned to the same slit yellow glare, and frustrated, it slunk beneath Giovanni's large oaken desk, its cream coat glistening in the dim light. It climbed languidly into its master's lap, its teeth exposed in an irate scowl.

"Thank you, Persian," Giovanni murmured, tenderly fondling its round ear. "Good. Thank you." He continued crooning to his pet, and distractedly waved toward the door, the cheap jewels on his rings catching the threads of sun.

"You may go, James," he absentmindedly announced, shooing him away as if he were a bothersome child. "And remember, if anyone tells me of any misconduct in your team, your punishment will be much more severe."

Humiliated, James panted, color spreading over the bridge of his nose. He bunched his denim jacket around him, fleeing from the room and wiping his wrist across his mouth. Every muscle in his legs ached as he propelled forward, racing down the wide deserted hall. Swerving around the corner, his boots skidding against the linoleum and his foot stinging from exertion, he glanced down at the liquid that glossed his glove. Tears shone in his eyes as he slowly peeled the glove from his hand, his fingers quivering. Shoving the glove into his pocket, he sniffled, his skin tingling––drained of energy, he slumped against the wall, wishing for nothing more than a consoling purr from Meowth or an affectionate insult from Jessie.

Punishments were only fair, but not when Giovanni issued them.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Okay, okay, I found a bunch of cracky ships I want to write, included, but not limited to, James/Cassidy, James/Temacu, James/Officer Jenny, Professor Oak/Delia Ketchum, James/Magikarp Salesman, and Victini/macarons. I'm trying to write something with James and a girl, but I do still have heaps of other junk.

I just found a shipping that might fit this story. Apparently it consists of a random Team Rocket member paired with a Persian. I'll just say James is that random Team Rocket member.


End file.
